Method of changing a property of a polar liquid

ABSTRACT

For changing a property of a polar liquid, a transducer including a solenoidal coil is disposed at least partially within the liquid, which is prevented from penetrating the interior of the coil. An alternating electrical current applied to the coil produces a magnetic field about the coil. The current has a frequency and an amplitude such that the magnetic field has an effect on the liquid changing a property of the liquid at a distance of at least 5 meters from the transducer, wherein the property is gas exchange rate, surface tension, viscosity, freezing point, or partial vapor pressure. A system may include two transducers, wherein the electrical currents are offset in phase or frequency for controlling the effect.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to a system and method for theapplication of an alternating magnetic field to a polar liquid to changea property of the polar liquid, and more particularly, to change thesurface tension, interfacial mass transfer, gas absorption, or otherproperty of the polar liquid.

BACKGROUND

Magnetic fields have been applied in various applications to polarliquids to change a property of the liquid. Polar liquids are liquidsthat contain polar molecules. For a molecule to be polar, it has toexperience dipole moments within itself. An electrical dipole moment iscaused by unequal electronegativity between atoms in a covalent bond. Awater molecule by itself is polar. The term polar liquid used hereinrefers to a liquid that is at least partially polar such as a mixture ofa polar liquid and a non-polar liquid, e.g. water and oil.

Static fields with large gradients have been used to separate particleswithin fluids. Magnetic fields have been used to reduce scale withinpipes, and electromagnetic signals have been used in numerousapplications in industry. For example, US Patent Application 20140374236in the name of Moore et al. describes a liquid treatment devicecomprising: two antennae; an enclosure for holding a liquid including asolvent and a solute; a generator operatively connected to the twoantennae to generate an oscillating voltage in each antenna, whereineach voltage is out of phase with the other to create an oscillatingelectric field; and the liquid in the enclosure being subjected to theelectric field in the presence of a magnetic field to change thechemical and/or physical properties of the solute, without the liquidcontacting the two antennae. This device is essentially a conductivewire wrapped around a pipe containing the fluid coupled to a signalgenerator. Moore et al. suggest that the magnetic field coil may bewrapped around a non-ferrous or ferrous material that is positionedclose to the liquid containing enclosure but does not contact theliquid. However, devices attached to a pipe with a polar liquid, such asdisclosed by Moore et al. and other prior art references, providelimited output and cannot be used for treatment of open bodies of watersuch as rivers and industrial ponds.

Relative to open waters, US Patent Application No. 20180216246 in thename of Chew et al. teaches immersing a coil into seawater near a metalstructure so as to produce an ionic current in the seawater and thusprevent a corrosion current from leaving the surface of the metal. It iscost efficient to practice the method in the proximity to the metaltarget. Morse et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,723 also employ the electricfield effected in the liquid; they teach a coil in an air-tight housing,with voltage probe discs attached at the ends of the coil for deliveringan electric field into the solution. However, treating large open bodiesof water, or any other polar liquid for that matter, remains an openproblem, and new transducer devices and methods of their use need to bedeveloped.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an aspect of this disclosure there is provided, amethod of changing a property of a polar liquid comprising: disposing afirst transducer including a first electrically conductive solenoidalcoil at least partially within the polar liquid, the coil formed of aplurality of loops each having an interior, the loop interiors formingan interior of the coil, wherein the polar liquid is substantiallyprevented from penetrating the interior of the coil, and applying afirst alternating electrical current to the coil so as to produce analternating magnetic field about the coil, wherein a portion of thealternating magnetic field penetrates the polar liquid and the firstalternating electrical current has a first frequency and a firstamplitude such that the alternating magnetic field has an effect on thepolar liquid providing a change in a property of the polar liquid at adistance of at least 5 meters from the first transducer, wherein theproperty is gas exchange rate and the change is at least 5%, or theproperty is surface tension and the change is at least 1%, or theproperty is viscosity and the change is at least 0.5%, or the propertyis freezing point and the change is at least 0.5 degree C., or theproperty is partial vapor pressure and the change is at least 1%.

In accordance with another aspect there is provided, a system forchanging a property a polar liquid, comprising one or more at leastpartially immersive (ALPIM) devices, each comprising: a signal generatorfor generating an alternating electrical current and, a transducercomprising: an electrically conductive solenoidal coil coupled to thesignal generator for providing the magnetic field, the coil formed of aplurality of loops each having an interior, the loop interiors formingan interior of the coil, the liquid from outside the coil substantiallyprevented from penetrating the interior of the coil when the transduceris immersed in the liquid. Each of the transducers may include twoferromagnetic end pieces disposed at the ends of the coil transversethereto and electrically isolated from the coil, for shaping themagnetic field. The system may include a control center for controllingthe ALPIM devices.

In accordance with another aspect there is provided, a method ofchanging a property a polar liquid, comprising: disposing a firsttransducer comprising a first electrically conductive solenoidal coil atleast partially within the polar liquid, the coil formed of a pluralityof loops each having an interior, the loop interiors forming an interiorof the coil, wherein the polar liquid is substantially prevented frompenetrating the interior of the coil, and applying a first alternatingelectrical current to the coil so as to produce an alternating magneticfield about the coil, wherein a portion of the alternating magneticfield penetrates the polar liquid and the first alternating electricalcurrent has a first frequency and a first amplitude such that thealternating magnetic field has an effect on the polar liquid whichchanges a property of the polar liquid at a distance of at least 5meters from the first transducer, wherein the property is gas exchangerate, surface tension, viscosity, freezing point, or partial vaporpressure; further comprising allowing the polar liquid after a period oftreatment to flow through pipes or conduits into a drip irrigationsystem, or a desalination system, or an aquaculture system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of thedisclosure will be apparent from the following description ofembodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichreference characters refer to the same parts throughout the variousviews. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead beingplaced upon illustrating principles of the disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art transducer.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the transducer illustrating lines ofmagnetic flux exterior to the coil when the transducer is powered.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the transducer.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a system for changing a property a polarliquid with a magnetic field.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of a multi-transducer system.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a toroid transducer.

FIG. 7A is an illustration of three embodiments of transducers.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

We have discovered that by energizing an electrically insulatedconductive coil formed of loops of wire with a very small amount ofalternating current of under one ampere, and preferably hundreds ofmicroamps or less, and by placing the energized coil into a polar liquidsuch as water, we can generate an alternating magnetic field emanatingfrom the coil through the insulation that will affect the polar liquidexposed to the magnetic field by changing a property of the polarliquid, such as gas exchange rate or other properties, and that theaffected liquid will in turn have an effect on polar liquid a greatdistance away, of at least 10s of meters, through a contagion or dominoeffect, changing one or more properties of the polar liquid this largedistance from the coil emanating the magnetic field, hereafter referredto as a transducer. The benefits of adjusting the gas transfer rate orother properties are numerous and have applicability to many industrialapplications. Advantageously, the loop or coil transducer is insensitiveto the conductivity of the polar liquid, and therefore insensitive tothe pH of the liquid, thus allowing it to be used in many differentliquids irrespective of conductivity or the electrical groundingenvironment in the vicinity of the treatment vessel.

Attempts have been made to provide submerged devices which emit anelectric current, or electric field into water. However, we believe thatthe presence of an electrical current or electric field may have adeleterious effect. Due to the presence of impurities and admixes, theelectric field results in an electrical current which may be hazardousor at least unpleasant for people and other creatures, and may causecorrosion and mineral buildup of structures proximate to the device. Themethod disclosed herein uses a magnetic field so as to affect theliquid. The electrical current in water, if induced by an immerseddevice, would produce a secondary magnetic field, different from themagnetic field produced by the current within the device. Our goal is touse a magnetic field without an electric field. Any electric field thatmight be produced by our coil transducer is unwanted and is less than 1V/m or significantly less and negligible. The magnetic field may becreated by a coil within a transducer, while the electric field producedby the transducer is ideally zero.

We have discovered that using only an alternating magnetic field, andenhancing its effect by shaping the magnetic field, we are able tochange properties of a polar liquid at a distance of 40 meters and morewith a very low power signal producing a low intensity alternatingmagnetic field. We believe that, when a properly energized transducer,with a suitable electrical signal having a suitable frequency andamplitude, is placed in a polar liquid, the resulting alternatingmagnetic field emanating from the coil affects the liquid in closeproximity to the coil, changing the liquid's property near the coil.Surprisingly, the effect then expands through the liquid, often in amatter of minutes. The difference should be noted between the speed ofthe field propagation, i.e. the speed of light in the particular medium,and the speed of the liquid-changing effect which is significantly lessthan the speed of light. The discovered effect may be envisioned as adomino effect in molecules of the liquid: the magnetic field generatedby the transducer affects molecules and/or intermolecular bonds in theliquid proximate to the transducer. What we have discovered is that whenwe use a signal of suitable frequency and amplitude, the affectedportion of the liquid affects another portion of molecules at somedistance from the transducer, and so on. The term “domino effect” refersto a linked sequence of events, while the events are not necessarilymechanical as in case of domino tiles. The effect may be referred to asa chain reaction or a contagion effect.

We have found that, when a coil is immersed in a polar liquid andenergized with an alternating electrical current, the frequency of thecurrent and thus the rate of change for the magnetic field affect thedistance where a particular property of the liquid noticeably changes.In other words, some frequencies are better than others. The same hasbeen observed for the amplitudes of the current supplied to the coil.This may be explained by resonance effects occurring within polarmolecules of the liquid and/or in intermolecular bonds under theinfluence of the magnetic field produced by the coil. It is importantthat the optimal (preferred) parameters of the current in the coildepend on the application wherein the coil is used. In particular, theoptimal parameters may depend on the particular liquid and the monitoredproperty. Nevertheless, it is crucial that the transducer including thecoil affects the liquid with only magnetic field with a practicallyabsent electric field external to the coil; thus the parameters of thecurrent are tuned so as to increase the effects caused by the magneticfield. Differently, the prior art tunes parameters of transducers so asto better employ the electric field emitted from a transducer, whereasthe inventors of the method disclosed herein suggest tuning parametersso as to better employ the magnetic field provided by a transducer.

FIG. 1 illustrates a magnetic field provided by a solenoidal(cylindrical) coil wound around a straight support 12 b. Field lines 34proximate to the solenoid are substantially parallel to each other andhave same polarity. This portion 35 of substantially unidirectional (ata particular moment) magnetic field may provide a cumulative effectwhich changes a particular property of the polar liquid about where thecoil is immersed. It is preferred that coil is a solenoidal coil, sincethe cylindrical elongate shape of the solenoid provides the magneticfield around the solenoid, the field almost parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the solenoid in close proximity to the coil. The ends of thesolenoid potentially have a deleterious effect since the polarities ofthe converging lines of magnetic flux oppose each other, so it isdesirable to reduce or possibly exclude that effect. It is desirable toexpand the space around the coil where the magnetic lines are close tobeing parallel to each other, so that more liquid may experience thecumulative effect of the magnetic field. This can be done by using avery long solenoidal coil, or by shaping the magnetic field with thehelp of preferably planar end pieces at the ends of the coil.

Additionally, field lines within the support 12 b have a differentpolarity. Thus, if the liquid has access to the interior of the coil,the cumulative effect will be negated. Accordingly, it is desirable toprevent the liquid from being affected by the opposite direction of themagnetic field. This may be achieved by preventing the liquid fromentering the interior of the coil, e.g. placing a ferromagnetic core orany kind of support or fill within the interior of the coil, or byplacing the coil within a container that prevents liquid from enteringthe interior region of the coil or the polar regions; however themagnetic field must be able to pass through the container. Aferromagnetic core has the effect of increasing the magnetic fluxdensity as well as preventing the fluid from entering the interior ofthe coil. Any non-ferromagnetic body placed in the interior of the coilpreferably extends beyond the ends of the coil so as to prevent accessof the liquid to the most concentrated opposing polarities at themagnetic poles.

Experiments have been conducted where a transducer was designed so as toincrease the effect of a unidirectional portion of the magnetic field,while preventing another portion of the field, of the opposite polarity,from penetrating the liquid, at each particular moment. Theunidirectional portion 35 of the magnetic field is understood as aspatial volume containing a portion of the magnetic field produced bythe coil, wherein field lines within the volume are substantiallyparallel to each other at a particular moment, while may have theopposite direction at another moment.

To summarize, a method of changing a property of a polar liquid includesthe following steps: (A) disposing a first transducer at least partiallywithin the polar liquid, wherein the transducer includes a firstelectrically conductive solenoidal coil formed of a plurality of loopseach having an interior, the loop interiors forming an interior of thecoil, wherein the interior of the coil is filled, sealed, or opens outof the liquid so as to prevent the polar liquid from outside the coilfrom penetrating the interior of the coil, and (B) applying a firstalternating electrical current to the coil so as to produce a firstmagnetic field about the coil, the field having a portion internal tothe coil and a portion external to the coil, the external portionpenetrating the polar liquid. The first alternating electrical currenthas a first frequency and a first amplitude such that the externalportion of the first magnetic field has an effect on the polar liquidthereby changing the property of the polar liquid at a distance of atleast 5 meters from the first transducer, preferably 10 meters from thefirst transducer, and more preferably, the distance is at least 40meters, and even more preferably the distance is at least 150 meters. Webelieve that the effect produced by the magnetic field is the dominoeffect discussed above. Preferably, the transducer produces no electricfield outside thereof greater than 1 V/m. Even a very small electricfield that may be produced by the coil is unwanted. FIG. 8 illustrates aflowchart of the method, wherein the method steps 810 and 820 may beperformed in any order, including concurrent execution.

The property of the polar liquid is an intrinsic property, such asviscosity, surface tension, equilibrium partial pressure in the gasphase of the polar liquid, maximum dissolved gas saturationconcentration for a particular gas, heat of vaporization, a freezingpoint, or a boiling point of the polar liquid. The advantages of themethod have been demonstrated for such properties as gas exchange ratethrough the interfacial film at the surface of the liquid and that ofgas bubbles in the liquid. The inventors have grounds to believe thatother properties of a polar liquid may be controlled using magneticfield as described herein. The value of the change in a particularproperty of the liquid depends on the nature of the property andphysical mechanisms involved. In particular, at the distance of 5 metersfrom the transducer, the gas exchange rate of the polar liquid changesby at least 5%, the surface tension of the polar liquid changes by atleast 1%, the viscosity of the polar liquid changes by at least 0.5%,the freezing point temperature of the polar liquid changes by at least0.5 degree C., or the partial vapor pressure of the polar liquid changesby at least 1%.

The time necessary for the change to become detectable depends on thedistance from the transducer. In our experiments, changes in aninterfacial mass transfer rate were noticeable after 2 min at 10 meters,were unmistakable after 6 min, and continued to grow after 96 hrs. Theimpact was also measurable at 150 m within 24 hrs. In general, aproperty of the polar liquid changes at the distance of 5 meters within10 minutes.

The alternating electrical current may have a sine profile, atrapezoidal profile, a triangular profile, etc. The frequency andamplitude of the electrical current used in the transducer depend on theparticular liquid and, possibly, on the property desired to be changed.Our experiments show that some frequencies produce the change greaterand/or faster than other frequencies. The found parameters are providedherein. When such parameters are not known, the system may be configuredto perform a sweep through a range of frequencies, staying at aparticular frequency for a predetermined interval of time, while theproperty of the liquid is monitored. In general, the frequency of theelectrical current used to energize the transducer is greater than 100Hz and less than 5000 Hz, and a root mean square of the amplitude isless than 3 amperes, preferably less than 500 mA, and more preferablyless than 50 mA.

It should be understood that the method disclosed herein is practicableby simply using a coil having a plurality of turns without having a core12 a, when the interior of the coil is empty but inaccessible to theliquid, e.g. sealed. In another embodiment, a magnetically permeablecore is provided. Alternatively, the core can be a plastic spool forexample used to form the many turns of wire resulting in the coil. Thespool may be another material, which does not deleteriously affect thetransducer's performance, or there may be no spool or core present andthe liquid may be prevented from entering the interior of the coil byother means.

FIGS. 2 through 4 illustrate transducers whereby a property such as aninterfacial mass transfer rate or other properties of a polar liquid canbe changed if the transducer is provided with an alternating signal e.g.of about 2.5 kHz and having a current of about 133 microamperes. Ofcourse, the method is not limited to this frequency or current, as theseare just exemplary embodiments that provided surprisingly favourableresults. We believe that frequencies between 100 Hz and 20 kHz willproduce a change in a property of a polar liquid, with a preferableinterval of frequencies between 1 kHz and 5 kHz.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment. A transducer 10 has asolenoidal coil 11 of electrically insulated wire wrapped around thecore 12 a. Here and elsewhere in the drawings, a circle with a crossindicates a cross section of a coil loop wherein a current flows intothe plane of the drawing, while a double circle indicates a crosssection of a coil loop wherein the current flows out of the plane of thedrawing. The insulation of the wire allows a magnetic field to passtherethrough. The two ends of the coil are electrically coupled to twoterminals of a signal generator (not shown), so that the alternatingcurrent can flow through the coil 11 from the signal generator and backto the signal generator. In operation an alternating electrical currentin the form of a 2.5 kHz sine wave is provided to the coil 11. The rootmean square (rms) of the alternating current amplitude is 133 microamps. As is well understood, a magnetic field is generated emanatingfrom and external to the coil 11. The transducer 10 has a core 12 a madeof a ferromagnetic material, for example, mild steel or stainless steel.Integral with the core are planar end pieces 14 and 16, also made ofmild steel or stainless steel or stainless steel or other alloys, withthe relative permeability of from 100 to 5000% and possibly more. Theheight of the coil 11 and the core 12 a is h=3.5 cm, and the diameter(max dimension) of the end pieces is W=5 cm.

FIG. 3 illustrates the magnetic lines of flux 32, which aresubstantially parallel due to the elongate, substantially straight shapeof the core and due to the field-shaping effect of the end pieces 14 and16 extending normally to the core. Unconstrained, the core 12 b absentthe polar end pieces, the magnetic lines of flux 34 are not parallel asis shown in FIG. 1. To achieve a greater effect on the liquid that thetransducer is placed in, it is preferred to have substantially parallellines of flux. The end caps 14 and 16, on the poles of the core 12 a ofthe transducer 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3) concentrate the magnetic lines of flux32 so that the lines of flux external to the coil 11 and core 12 a arealmost parallel.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the transducer 10 is shown to have a height h andradius R₁. Radius R₂ defines the radius from the center of the metalcore 12 a to the outside of the coil 11 having N turns. By way ofexample, the height of the coil L=3 cm, h=3.5 cm, R₁=2.5 cm, R₂=0.8 cm,N=44 turns of 22 gauge single strand insulated wire. The core was madeof mild steel.

Experiments have been made so as to observe the impact of exposure ofwater to magnetic fields as described herein, on mass transfer rateacross the air water interface of bubbles. Several frequency and currentpairs have been found to provide better results than others: 2500 Hz atthe current of 0.100 mA, 2700 Hz at the current of 0.099 mA, and 4000 Hzat the current of 0.140 mA. The search for preferable parameters wasbased on theoretical hypotheses of how the technology worked, andincluded adjusting parameters while the effect has been measured. Moresuch parameters may be found by experimentation. It is expected that theadvantageous effect may be achieved for frequency and current deviatingfrom the particular preferable parameters by ±10 Hz and ±15 microAmperes, respectively. The inventors believe that other frequency andcurrent pairs which result in changing a property of a polar liquid at adistance of at least 10 meters may be found. It should be appreciatedthat the parameters of the magnetic field and the required electricalsignal may vary depending on the liquid, e.g. the level and nature ofcontamination in water. The geometry of the vessel or water body mayalso affect the parameters needed to achieve the desired effect. For theembodiment shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, we have demonstrated thatpreventing a portion of the magnetic field interior to the coil 11 fromcontacting the fluid, the other portion of the magnetic field, theportion exterior to the coil 11, is able to noticeably and effectivelychange a property of the liquid it is submerged in. Thus either blockingthe inside magnetic field or preventing the liquid from accessing themagnetic field within the interior of the coil allows the field exteriorto the coil 11 to significantly change a property of the liquid. Thesuggested transducer design ensures that magnetic fields in thesedifferent regions do not simultaneously pass through the polar liquid orthey would have a deleterious effect on each other not producing adesired change in a property of the polar liquid. Preferably themagnetic field interior to the coil of FIG. 2 is totally orsubstantially prevented from propagating through the liquid, in a lesspreferred embodiment at least 75% of the magnetic field interior to thecoil 11 is prevented from penetrating the polar liquid. Relative to theportion of the magnetic field exterior to the coil, it is desirable thatat least 75% of the magnetic field exterior to the coil and emanatingfrom the coil, penetrate the liquid.

FIGS. 2 through 4 show embodiments where a property such as interfacialmass transfer rate or other properties of the polar liquid can bechanged if the transducer is provided with an alternating signal ofabout 2.5 kHz and having a current of about 133 microamperes. Of course,the embodiments are not limited to this frequency or current, as theseare just exemplary values that provided surprisingly favorable results.We believe that frequencies between 100 Hz and 20 kHz will produce achange in a property of a polar liquid, with a preferable interval offrequencies between 1 kHz and 5 kHz.

The aforedescribed transducers may be used in a system for changing aproperty of a polar liquid with a magnetic field. With reference to FIG.5, the system includes a signal generator 910 for generating analternating electrical signal, and at least one transducer 920, whichhas an electrically conductive coil 930 with an insulation whichelectrically insulates one loop of the coil from one another, thoughallows a magnetic field to pass through. No electrical current isimparted from the device to the polar fluid.

The coil 930 is coupled to the signal generator 910, so that thegenerator 910 can provide an alternating electrical current to the coil930, and so providing magnetic field about the coil 930.

Preferably, the coil 930 is a solenoidal coil, i.e. a cylinder in thesense that it has a straight central axis and all cross sections normalto the axis have a same shape, though not necessarily a circle. By wayof example, the core 12 a (FIG. 3) may be a steel bar with a squarecross-section. The wire wound around such a core forms a cylinderwherein a cross section resembles a square with rounded corners. Theheight of the cylinder may be in the range of from 3 cm to 50 cm.

The coil is formed of loops of a conductive metal, such as copper, etc.The number of loops may be in the range of from 2.0 to 2000. The loopsare electrically isolated. Each loop has an empty interior which may befilled e.g. with a support or core around which the loops are coiled.The stack of loop interiors forms an interior 960 of the coil 930. Thecoil interior 960 is protected from the liquid when the transducer isimmersed therein so that a portion of the magnetic field internal to thecoil 930 is substantially prevented from penetrating the liquid. Theinterior 960 of the coil 930 may be filled with some material asdiscussed elsewhere herein, or sealed. While FIG. 5 shows the coil 930as having a single layer of wire, the coil 930 may be formed of one,two, or more layers of wire, a next layer looped around a previouslayer. FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the transducer described withreference to FIG. 5, wherein the coil 11 has two layers of wire.

The transducer 920 has two end pieces 940 and 950 for shaping a portionof the magnetic field external to the coil 930 thereby causing it topenetrate the liquid. The end pieces 940 and 950 are disposed at theends of the coil 930 transverse thereto, preferably normally, so thatthe force lines of the magnetic field between the end pieces aresubstantially parallel to the central axis of the coil 930. The endpieces 940 and 950 are electrically isolated from the coil. Each of theend pieces 940 and 950 is made of a magnetically permeable material withrelative permeability of at least 100 times higher than relativepermeability of the polar liquid under the treatment, preferably of aferromagnetic material such as mild steel or stainless steel or otheralloys, with the relative permeability of from 100 to 5000% and possiblymore. The end pieces 940 and 950 may be planar and normal to the coil.They may be round and centered at the coil. The diameters (maxmeasurement) of the end pieces are preferably at least half of theheight of the coil which, in turn, may be 3 cm≤L≤50 cm. In oneembodiment the end pieces are two cones with their apexes directed ateach other and their axis of symmetry coinciding with the central axisof the solenoid

The interior 960 of the coil 930 may be filled with any material so asto ensure that the liquid is substantially prevented from entering theinterior of the coil and, thus, is not affected by a portion of themagnetic field within the interior of the coil. Ideally 100% of liquidis prevented from entering the interior of the coil. Less preferably,80% and less preferably 50% is prevented. Water entering the coil has adeleterious effect. In one embodiment, the interior 960 of the coil isfilled with one or more non-ferromagnetic materials, i.e. materials withrelative magnetic permeability less than or equal to 1 H/m.

In one embodiment, the interior 960 of the coil 930 is sealed e.g. byplacing the coil into a container which allows the magnetic field topass therethrough, so that the interior 960 is not accessible by theliquid when the transducer 920 is at least partially immersed thereto.The end pieces 940 and 950 may be outside of the container so that theliquid can be affected by a portion of the magnetic field between theend pieces. In one embodiment, the coil interior is only partiallysealed, while the opening is not in contact with the liquid, e.g. thetransducer 920 is disposed at the surface of the liquid.

In one embodiment, the interior of the coil is filled with air oranother gas, or a mixture of gases, which may support the device at thesurface of the liquid. In another embodiment, there is vacuum inside theinterior of the coil, which should be properly sealed.

In one embodiment, the interior 960 of the coil 930 may contain astraight core formed of a material suitable for the end pieces 940 and950, preferably a ferromagnetic material for increasing the magneticflux density produced by the coil. The end pieces 940 and 950 may beelectrically connected to the core, or integral therewith as illustratedin FIG. 2 wherein the transducer 10 is an embodiment of the transducer920. However, it is not necessary for the end pieces 940 and 950 tocontact the core, though they should be disposed at the ends of thecoil, in close proximity thereto and, preferably, in contact with thecore. In one embodiment, the core and the end pieces are electricallyisolated from the liquid.

The signal generator 910 may be configured for providing a periodicelectrical current with a predetermined amplitude and frequency. Thecurrent is preferably less than 3 amperes, more preferably less than 500mA, and more preferably less than 50 mA. A feedback loop may be used tocontrol the electrical signal in dependence upon a measured parameter.The signal generator 910 may be capable of providing a plurality ofpredetermined frequencies or a predefined range of frequencies, and thesystem may utilize a frequency determined to be optimum from theplurality of frequencies. A measuring instrument capable of measuring aparameter, such as a value of gas exchange rate, surface tension,viscosity, freezing point temperature, or partial vapor pressure, can beconnected to a feedback circuit that can be used to adjust the frequencyand amplitude of the signal provided to the transducer to optimize orenhance a process that requires a change in property of the polarliquid.

In particular, the signal generator 910 may be configured to work in atleast one of the following modes experimentally found to provideadvantageous results: 2500 Hz at the current of 0.100 mA, 2700 Hz at thecurrent of 0.099 mA, and 4000 Hz at the current of 0.140 mA. It isexpected that almost the advantageous effect may be achieved forfrequency and current deviating from the particular optimal parametersby +/−10 Hz and +/−15 uA, respectively, while the effect may be reducedto about 63% of the peak effectiveness.

The transducer 920 and the signal generator 910 may be part of an ALPIMdevice 970 intended to be at least partially immersed in an industrialpond, river, ocean, etc. Preferably, the signal generator and thetransducer are housed separately and connected by a pair of wires or acoaxial cable. In one embodiment, the coil is at least partiallyimmersed in the liquid, while the signal generator is not immersed—itmay reside on a raft whereto the coil is attached. In anotherembodiment, the signal generator is at least partially immersed in theliquid. Then the interior of the device 920 provides an electricallyisolated space in which to house the electronics required to operate thedevice. In one embodiment, the ALPIM device includes floating means,such as foam flotation ballast. In one embodiment flotation is providedby trapping air or foam in the sealed container wherein the electronicsare kept. Foam helps to avoid the diurnal expansion and contraction ofthe air with the accompanying condensation of moisture inside theelectronic housing. A metallic strip through the foam may be used topermit the transmission of heat generated by the electronic circuit. TheALPIM device 970 may have an antenna for wireless communication with acontrol center or other transducers, and/or a GPS receiver.

In one embodiment, a transducer in the form of a toroid coil 90 as isshown in FIG. 7 arranged in a full circle with its two ends electricallycoupled to the signal generator so that a small alternating current canpass through the toroid 90 which in turn generates a magnetic fieldabout the inside of the toroid. Of course the toroid should beconstructed so as to allow the polar liquid to flow through the coils ofthe toroid itself. This can be done by providing a rigid plastic sleeve92 which allows a magnetic field to pass therethrough formed in theshape of a toroid and feeding a length of electrically conductive wire94 into the sleeve. The ends of the wire 94 are electrically coupled toa signal generator, not shown. The wire 94 is itself electricallyinsulated and allows a magnetic field generated to pass through it.

Since there is only a very weak external magnetic field, external to thetoroid 90 itself, and predominantly all of the magnetic field isinternal to region of the toroid 90 itself, the problem associated withhaving two opposing magnetic fields in different regions issubstantially obviated. Thus another embodiment of transducer we havedeveloped is a toroid shaped transducer, where the liquid exposed to theinternal field affects liquid a distance therefrom and we can thereforechange a property of that liquid by applying an alternating current at apredetermined frequency. In operation, the toroid transducer issubmerged in a polar liquid and an alternating current signal in theform of a sine wave having a suitable frequency is provided to thetransducer.

In one embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7A, a relatively long solenoidalcoil 310 is partially immersed in a liquid transverse thereto, so thatthe top end of the coil and associated curvature of the magnetic fieldare above the surface 315 and practically do not affect the liquid,while the lower end of the coil and associated curvature of the magneticfield are relatively far below from the surface, thus having littleeffect on the near-surface layer of the liquid. Then, at each particularmoment, the near-surface layer of the liquid is affected bysubstantially parallel field which changes the liquid's property. Thecoil may have a core, and may have the interior of the coil sealed atboth ends or only at the bottom end leaving the upper end 320 open tothe air. The transducer may be supported by a floating means, e.g. abuoy, or be attached to a wall of the vessel or body of water, etc. Asin other embodiments, the liquid is prevented from entering the interiorof the coil.

In one embodiment, the solenoidal coil is sealed within a water-tightcontainer 340 (FIG. 7A) fitting close along the coil and extendingsignificantly beyond the ends of the coil, by at least 10% and,preferably, at least 20% of a height of the coil, so as to prevent theliquid from entering the interior of the coil and the polar portions ofthe magnetic field. In yet another embodiment, the coil has anon-magnetic core 350 extending significantly beyond the ends of thecoil, by at least 10% and, preferably, at least 20% of a height of thecoil, for the same purpose. Of course, the transducer may be onlypartially immersed in the polar liquid.

In one embodiment, the ALPIM device may be moved across a body of wateror other liquid, with the help of a boat, vessel or craft, preferably ina controlled manner, or supported by a buoy or raft.

With reference to FIG. 6, the aforedescribed transducers may be used ina multi-transducer system 200. The system includes at least twotransducers 210 and 230 and a control center 250. Each of thetransducers includes a coil for generating magnetic field when providedwith an alternating electrical current. Preferably, the transducers arecylindrical coils and include end pieces as described above. However,other transducers may be used under control of the control center 250.Preferably, each of the transducers is electrically connected to its ownsignal generator. As shown in FIG. 6, a first signal generator 220provides an alternating electrical current to the first transducer 210,and a second signal generator 240—to the second transducer 230. Inanother embodiment, one signal generator provides an electrical currentto two or more transducers.

Turning back to FIG. 6, the transducers may be placed in a vessel or anopen body of water or sludge, etc., 260. By way of example, immersivedevices 201 and 202, each incorporating a transducer and preferably asignal generator, may be paced at a distance D (20 cm≤D≤300 m) from oneanother at least partially immersed in an industrial pond, river, lakeor ocean. The control center 250 may be located ashore or elsewhere andcommunicate with the devices 201 and 202 over any communicationprotocol, preferably wirelessly. In one embodiment, multiple transducersmay be deployed without a controller.

We have discovered that by placing two same transducers, for example,two coil transducers, within a polar liquid or body of water, differenteffects can be obtained depending upon how the two transducers areoperated. This provides a convenient way, in which a +desired propertyof the polar liquid may be controlled, such as viscosity, surfacetension, equilibrium partial pressure in the gas phase, maximumdissolved gas saturation concentrations, heat of vaporization, andfreezing or boiling point of the polar liquid.

Two or more transducers may be used together and controlled from a samecontrol center, wherein frequencies of the electrical current in thetransducers are same and the first and second alternating electricalcurrents are in phase, having a zero degree phase relationship forincreasing the change in the polar liquid. We have discovered that byusing two transducers 10 provided with a same frequency alternatingsignal and wherein the signals are in phase, interfacial mass transferrate was increased further than the increase provided by a singletransducer. By way of example, a 16% increase in interfacial masstransfer rate provided by a single transducer was further increased to20% when a second transducer having the same frequency and in phase wasintroduced; the transducers should be spaced apart a suitable distanceto maximize a desired effect. For example, a plurality of transducerscan be spaced along a water body such as a channel in order to changethe freezing temperature of the water in the regions of the channelabout which the transducers are placed. Adjusting the phase between thetwo signals provided to two transducers so that the two signals were outof phase, that is, offset or skewed in phase by varying amountsattenuated the desired effect. The property change lessened down toclose to or about zero, in this instance the transducers having littleor no effect. Notwithstanding, since skewing the phase attenuated thedesired effect, tuning in manner by adjusting the phase by small offsets(gradually) is a way in which control of the desired effect can beachieved. For example a 20% increase in interfacial mass transfer rateachieved with two transducers having signals in phase, could be lessenedfor example to 10% by skewing the phase accordingly.

Furthermore, two or more transducers may be used together and controlledfrom a same control center, wherein frequencies of the electricalcurrent in the transducers differ from one another, for changing theproperty of the polar liquid oppositely to the change caused by onetransducer alone. The opposite changes are understood as opposite withrespect to a baseline of the property when the liquid has not beentreated by a magnetic field. The baseline is the natural state of theliquid before the transducer(s) are turned on and affect the liquid inany manner. By way of example, one transducer may increase a particularparameter measuring a property of the liquid above the baselinecharacterizing the untreated liquid, while two transducers with offsetfrequencies will decrease the same parameter below the baseline.

We have discovered that a difference in frequency between twotransducers by even 1 Hz changed the effect on the polar liquid,decreasing interfacial mass transfer rate below that of untreated polarliquid rather than increasing interfacial mass transfer rate.Interfacial mass transfer rate is one of many properties that can bechanged. The same effect was found with a 5 Hz offset in frequency. Ifwe offset the phase gradually, the effect is attenuated more and moreall the way down to zero. This is important as it allows us to controlthe intensity of the effect.

Advantageously, the system disclosed herein can be placed within anyliquid that will accommodate it. It can be scaled up, or down in size asrequired. Different industrial applications may dictate different depthof placement of our device. In most open water bodies the remediationeffort is driven by the oxygen transfer on the surface of the waterbody. Placing one or more transducers near the water surface with afloating device to accommodate a fluctuating water level is thepreferred embodiment. In contrast prior art systems which require beingexternal to a pipe or conduit in which water flows, requires a pipe thatwill allow a magnetic field to penetrate and flow through withoutsignificantly affecting the field. Furthermore, such systems cannoteasily be moved from one location to another. Once fixed to a pipe ittypically remains in place.

A method for separating a polar and non-polar liquid in an emulsionhereof may include: introducing the emulsion into a mixing chamber andplacing a first transducer and a second transducer in contact with thepolar/non-polar emulsion; applying a selected signal at a chosenamplitude and frequency to the first transducer and a selected signalwhich is at least 1 Hz different than that for the first transducer tothe second transducer such that the transducers provide two slightlymisaligned-frequency signals and magnetic fields to the emulsion forproducing a change in water surface tension. The resulting correspondinghigher oil/water interfacial tension will favor the coalescence ofcolliding non-polar liquid droplets in the polar and non-polar liquidsunder mild mixing conditions. The mild mixing conditions may begenerated by a mechanical mixer in a vessel equipped with mechanicalbuffers or a section of piping equipped with a mixing valve to generatea chamber/piping Reynolds Number of 5-50. It is desirable to generate achamber/piping Reynolds Number of 10-30 in accordance with the inverseof the concentration of the non-polar liquid in the polar liquid. Thechamber Reynolds Number should be adjusted higher for a lowerconcentration of non-polar liquid in the polar liquid. The chamberReynolds Number should be adjusted lower for a higher concentration ofnon-polar liquids in a polar liquid. The same set of principles wouldapply for a polar liquid in a non-polar liquid. Preferably, theresidence time in the mixing chamber is 1-30 minutes. The residence timeis defined as the effective Chamber volume over the emulsion flow rate.The above descriptions are two of many mechanical arrangements which maybe employed to achieve the specific mixing conditions specified herein.The mixed emulsion exiting the mixing chamber enters a conventionalindustrial separator for polar/non-polar emulsions for the next stage ofprocessing to achieve the targeted accelerated separation of the polarand non-polar liquids.

In operation, the transducer may be at least partially submerged in apolar liquid that is used in the manufacturing of a product or forwashing a product. The application of the alternating electrical currentmay lessen the drying time of the product. In another embodiment, thepolar liquid is an emulsion and the application of the alternatingelectrical current assists in separating at least a portion of theemulsion.

The transducer described heretofore or a plurality of such transducers,spaced apart and in various modes of operation, may be used for alteringwater conditions in a water body by increasing levels of dissolvedoxygen and increasing oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in thepresence of a low intensity magnetic field to favour the growth ofaerobic bacteria and added diatoms as a means of suppressing residualammonia concentration and the growth of cyanobacteria and the like.

The overabundance of cyanobacteria in stagnant waters, as a result ofthe eutrophication of water, is a worldwide problem, especially becauseof the fact that vegetative secretions of cyanobacteria can be toxic.

Currently, cyanobacteria in stagnant waters of lakes and dams aredisposed of by means of biomechanical equipment using float structures,built on the principles of biological reduction of phosphorus andnitrogen in water by cultivating special aquatic plants. Thedisadvantages of these devices are low efficiency, requirement of takingcare of plant growth and limitations due to the vegetation period ofplants.

Accordingly, the disclosure provides a viable, cost effective system andmethod for significantly reducing the presence of residual ammonia, andcyanobacteria commonly known as blue-green algae, from large bodies ofwater where it is present. Seeding bodies of water with diatoms had beenfound to lessen the presence of blue-green algal blooms or red-tidealgal blooms. However this treatment alone has not been found to bealways reliable and effective enough.

A method in accordance with this disclosure is provided for lesseningthe presence of residual ammonia and/or blue-green algae comprising:seeding a body of water with a population of diatoms; adding smallamounts of nitrates and micronutrients if warranted by the chemicalmake-up of the water body, and, changing an aspect of the body of waterby submerging a transducer into the water and providing a magnetic fieldwithin the body of water so that the diatoms and the nitrificationbacteria in the water are “activated” in the presence of a high ORP andmore dissolved oxygen than would otherwise be present in the absence ofthe provided magnetic field.

A surprising unexpected aspect of the method disclosed herein is that avery low intensity alternating electrical signal can affect the amountof dissolved oxygen, ORP (oxidation reduction potential) and otherphysicochemical properties of the water and as a result the growth ofdiatoms and nitrification bacteria at least 50 meters from the source ofthe signal. We believe this effect is a function of the dominophenomenon described heretofore, whereby certain properties of watermolecules subjected to a magnetic field are changed, affecting othernearby molecules and this repeated for considerable distance.

A diatom is a single-celled alga that has a cell wall of silica. Diatomscan assimilate both ammonia and nitrates in their growth. Unlikecyanobacteria, which do not have an internal membrane, nitrates canmigrate through the cell membrane of diatoms and be reduced to ammoniainside the diatoms before being converted into amino acids for thegrowth of the diatoms and their reproduction through cell splitting. Onthe other hand, the presence of ammonium ions in the water is necessaryfor the germination of spores and heterocysts of cyanobacteria. Thecompetition for the ammonia in the water by blue-green algae and diatomsmay also be influenced by the nitrogen-phosphorous (N:P) ratio in thewater.

Published studies have shown the competitive uptake of ammonia andnitrates by diatoms, cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and chlorophylls(green algae). Diatoms, especially the species consisting ofcombinations of Cyclotella meneghiniana, Synedra ulna and variousspecies of Nitzschia have high rates of uptake of nitrates whenbiological oxygen demand (BOD) exceeds 5 ppm.

Under the high dissolved oxygen and ORP (+50 to +350 mV) environmentgenerated by the transducer(s), most ammonium ions are oxidized tonitrates by the aerobic nitrification bacteria present in the waterbody. However, when there is a heavy presence of organic sludge, itcompetes for the dissolved oxygen in the water as demonstrated by therepeated decline of dissolved oxygen to near zero in water bodies duringthe night. The presence of ammonium ions in the water bodies will likelypersist until the sludge-induced competitive demand for dissolved oxygenbegins to decline. Consequently, the continuing presence of blue-greenalgae will also persist until there is sufficient dissolved oxygenand/or diatoms in the water to eliminate any significant presence ofammonia and/or phosphates in the water. Seeding the water body withdiatoms alone will not be effective in consistently suppressing thegrowth of blue-green algae.

However seeding the water body with diatoms and subjecting the waterbody to a magnetic field by submersing a transducer within the waterbody can lessen the amount of blue-green algae in that body of water,over time.

In order to affect a water body that is to be treated, the magneticfield must be able to penetrate the water under treatment at some point,from which point the domino effect travels through the water body beyondthe immediate vicinity of the transducer that introduced the magneticfield to the water. This can be achieved by generating a currentdependent upon a signal produced by a signal generator. A sine wavehaving a predetermined frequency and amplitude is used to generate adesired signal for providing a desired current to an effector ortransducer which results in a magnetic field being generated about andexternal to the transducer emanating from the transducer. Providing atransducer that is submerged in the liquid to be affected has numerousadvantages. For example, a properly sized transducer of this typeenergized by an alternating signal can be used to alter a property ofwater in a lake, a pond, sewage lagoon, water reservoir, storm waterpond and similar water bodies, a container or a pipe by being introduceddirectly into the liquid sample to be treated. Furthermore, a transducerof this type operates at very low power in the milliwatts range to havefar reaching effects. We have discovered that a properly sizedtransducer in accordance with this disclosure is able to affect theamount of dissolved oxygen in water tens of meters from where thetransducer is placed over time. With a transducer we used, in oneinstance surprisingly a signal of approximately about 133 microamperes,at a frequency of about 2.5 kHz was able to generate an effect that wasmeasurable over 40 meters away from the point of treatment in openwater.

The method disclosed herein may be include exposing seeded diatomswithin a large body of water to a low power alternating magnetic signalusing the transducer described. Depending on the residual ammoniaconcentration and the extent of presence of blue-green algae in thewater body, the effective live diatoms concentration in the water bodyshould be in the range of 100-10,000 medial counts per milliliter (ml).Subject to cost effectiveness considerations, the preferred live diatomsconcentration would be 1,000-5,000 medial counts per ml. Nurturing alive diatoms concentration above 10,000 medial counts per ml may bepreferable for water bodies requiring extensive and acceleratedtreatments. The high dissolved oxygen and the growing presence of thediatoms will foster a growing population of fish. The growth of thediatoms and its consumption by the fish will restore a balanced ecologyfor the water body. Live diatoms with nitrates and/or micronutrients maybe sourced from commercial suppliers, such as, Lake Savers(http://lake-savers.com/our-solution/repair/), Nualgi Ponds(https://nualgiponds.com/), etc.

The body of water can be pretreated by first providing the low powersignal to the water well in advance of seeding, and continuing toprovide the signal for a duration of time after seeding takes place.

Alternatively, if there is an absence of fish in the water body and thedissolved oxygen concentration is below 3 milligram per litre (mg/l),the body of water is preferably first treated by a transducer energizedwith a low power signal as described above, until the dissolved oxygenlevel is consistently above 3 mg/l before added live diatoms areintroduced. With the continuing application of the low power signal, thepreferred dissolved oxygen level should be consistently above 6 mg/l andthe ORP consistently above +150 mV. After the seeding of live diatomsand when the live diatoms concentration is at least 1,000 and preferably5,000 medial counts per ml or higher, native fish may be introduced intothe water body to maintain an ecological balance.

In another embodiment, the dissolved oxygen in the water body may be 6mg/l. The transducer with the low power signal should still be deployedshortly before or after the seeding of live diatoms into the water bodyto maintain an ORP consistently above +150 mV and to “activate” the livediatoms and the nitrification bacteria.

In a waste water lagoon where there is a continuing input of nutrients,the application of the transducer with the low power signal may becontinued to maintain a high dissolved oxygen level above 3 mg/l, an ORPabove +150 mV and a live diatoms concentration above 1,000 medial countsper ml.

If during the treatment process, the live diatoms concentration shouldfall below 1,000 medial counts per ml, another seeding of live diatomsinto the water body may be undertaken with the objective of consistentlymaintaining a live diatoms concentration of 2,000 to 5,000 medial countsper ml in the water until the targeted residual ammonia concentrationand the desired control of blue-green algae have been accomplished.

In another embodiment, if the live diatoms concentration of the targetedwater body is above 5,000 medial counts per ml, applying the low powersignal alone without further live diatoms seeding may be adequate toachieve the targeted residual ammonia concentration and control of theblue-green algae.

If the targeted water body is covered by a solid sheet of ice, thedeployment of the low power signal may be accompanied by an underwaterair diffuser to provide an adequate source of oxygen to raise thedissolved oxygen level and the associated ORP in the water to thepreferred dissolved oxygen levels above 6 mg/l and the ORP above +150mV.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a robust living aquaticenvironment may be maintained by using an alternating magnetic signal ina body of water to generate high dissolved oxygen and ORP across a largewater surface in combination with the simultaneous seeding of diatomsand the addition of small amount of nitrates and micronutrients, ifwarranted, to promote the growth of the diatoms and to suppress thegermination of spores of blue-green algae. A simultaneously healthynative fish population will help maintain the desirable ecologicalbalance of the water body.

In summary, we have found that by providing a properly designedtransducer we are able to affect physicochemical properties of water atleast 150 meters away from where the effector is placed and submerged ina large body of water irrespective of the conductivity of the water.Furthermore, this can be done using a very low power signal that can beenergized from a solar panel with accompanying battery for energystorage. We believe that doing this in combination with seeding a bodyof water with diatoms and, if warranted, small amount of nitrates,micronutrients and a population of fish native to the area, may have aprofound effect and can significantly lessen the presence of residualammonia and cyanobacteria present in a lake, pond, stream or lagoon.

In one embodiment, the transducer and signal generator describedheretofore is used to separate different constituents in an emulsionwhere one is a polar liquid. Oil-in-water is one of many emulsions thatthis disclosure relates to. Generally, however, this disclosure relatesto separation of a polar and non-polar liquid, which form an emulsion.

Removal of oil from oil-in-water emulsions is an important process inoil fields and refineries. When compared to methods, such as chemicalde-emulsification, gravity or centrifugal settling, pH adjustment,filtration, heat treatment, membrane separation, and the like, methodsusing electric fields have been considered attractive because they havethe potential for increasing throughput, saving space, and reducingoperating costs for many water-removal applications. The use of electricfields for separating water from water-oil mixtures of crude oil wasfirst demonstrated in 1911, and numerous studies have been conductedmore than a century for optimizing the process and expanding on theoriginal idea. Separation oil from water is known using magnetic fieldswhereby particulate matter having magnetic properties is added to theemulsion, binds to the oil, and a magnet is used to pull these alongwith oil from the water. Although some of these electrical/magneticideas may have some benefit, very few of them have been demonstrated tobe cost effective for commercialization. There is significant room forimprovement in the field of separation of emulsion constituents.

In one embodiment, two transducers separated by a distance ofapproximately 1 meter between them are fixed on the mixing chamberinside wall opposite from the inlet port of the chamber at or about 10cm from the bottom of the mixing chamber.

In one embodiment, one or more transducers with aligned frequencies,phase, amplitudes may be fixed in a conventional separator chamber onthe inside wall near the inlet port of the separator chamber, such as adissolved or dispersed air flotation unit, to allow the magnetic fieldto change the physicochemical properties, such as, a reduction of theviscosity of the polar liquid to achieve higher settling/rising velocityof the non-polar coalesced droplets to achieve accelerated separation.

In the case of the dissolved air flotation unit, the separation isparticularly slow because very fine air bubbles precipitate out ofsolution and attach themselves to the non-polar liquid particles, whichtend to rise very slowly. The magnetic field affecting properties of theliquid as disclosed herein may provide more buoyancy and a speedierascend of non-polar particles.

The method disclosed herein may also lower the viscosity of the polarliquid. This lower viscosity will permit the coalesced non-polar liquidparticles and/or the air bubbles in a dispersed air flotation unit toascend faster through the polar liquid and accelerate the separation.

In this embodiment, the method will increase the processing capacity ofboth the dissolved air flotation unit and the dispersed air flotationunit.

In another embodiment, a transducer placed inside a pipe elbow near theinlet port of an API oil/water separator will impose the specifiedmagnetic field on the emulsion flowing past the transducer. Thetreatment effect may expand and persist in the polar liquid as theemulsion flows gently through the plates inside the API oil/waterseparator. The lower viscosity of the magnetically treated polar liquidmay encourage more rapid migration of the non-polar liquid dropletstowards the plates in the API oil/water separator to result in a morespeedy separation and a higher processing capacity of the separator.

In another embodiment of the method, in the process of separating milkfats from raw milk which is an aqueous emulsion of milk fats, atransducer placed inside a pipe elbow near the inlet port of acentrifuge may impose the specified magnetic field on the raw milkflowing past the transducer. The treatment effect may expand and persistin the polar liquid as the milk is subjected to the centrifugal forceinside the centrifuge. The lower viscosity of the magnetically treatedpolar liquid may encourage more rapid migration of the non-polar liquiddroplets (cream) towards the centre of the centrifuge to result in amore speedy separation and a higher processing capacity of theseparator. Alternatively, this method may permit a lower rotationalspeed of the centrifuge with a resulting lower capital cost andoperating cost in the separation of cream from raw milk.

In order to affect an emulsion that is to be treated, the magnetic fieldshould be able to penetrate the polar liquid under treatment at somepoint, from which point the effect of magnetically affected polarmolecules migrates through the polar liquid beyond the immediatevicinity of the transducer that introduced the magnetic field to theemulsion. Therefore a change in property such as surface tension reachesa great distance through this domino effect. Affected water moleculesaffect other nearby water molecules and this surprisingly continuesoutward for some distance. This can be achieved by generating a currentdependent upon a signal produced by a signal generator. A sine wavehaving a predetermined frequency and amplitude is used to generate adesired signal for providing a desired current to a transducer whichresults in a magnetic field being generated about and external to thetransducer emanating from the transducer. Providing a transducer that issubmerged in the liquid to be affected has numerous advantages. Treatingan emulsion in a smaller containment vessel is practicable.

Another embodiment of this disclosure relates to using the transducerdescribed heretofore to lessen the drying time in an industrial process.

The production capacity of a Fourdrinier paper machine is limited by thewater drainage rate at the Wet End, the rate of flow of the water fromthe paper sheet to the felt in the Wet Press Section and the rate ofvaporization of the water in the Drying Section. The modifiedcharacteristics of the magnetically treated water permit a much morerapid drainage of the water from the pulp slurry which is fed by gravityfrom the Headbox through a Slice at or about a consistency of 0.1-0.4%solids onto the rapidly moving (200-2,500 m/min) wire mesh of theForming Section of the paper machine. The sheet consistency would beapproximately 25% solids when the sheet exits the Forming Section andenter the Wet Press Section from which the sheet will exit at aconsistency of approximately 40-55% solids. The paper sheet will exitthe subsequent Drying Section with a moisture content of approximately2-12%. The higher equilibrium partial pressure and the slightly lowerheat of vaporization of the magnetically treated water in the sheet maypermit a more rapid drying rate with lower energy consumption.

In one embodiment, one or more transducers with aligned frequency, phaseand amplitude as described heretofore, are placed in the White Waterwire pit on the walls and near the exit port leading to the suction portof a fan pump which circulates the White Water back to the FormingSection of the paper machine. One or more transducers with alignedfrequency, phase and amplitude are placed near the respective exit portsof the Whitewater Chest and the Headbox to provide maximum exposure ofthe specific magnetic field to the White Water and the pulp slurry beingcirculated at the Forming Section. It is preferable that all thetransducers are synchronized to produce electrical signals alternatingwith the same frequency, phase and amplitude. It is preferable that therespective frequency, phase and amplitude of the different sets oftransducers in this process are substantially aligned. Minormisalignments may diminish the targeted treatment impacts on theprocess.

Through operational optimization, the number of transducers may beincreased or decreased to achieve the most desirable cost effectiveness.

In another embodiment, the transducer may be placed through the pipingelbows in the Forming Section as a replacement or in addition to thetransducer placements in the tanks. In one embodiment, if more than onetransducer is placed inside a tank, the transducers are disposed onopposite walls or corners of the tank.

Depending on the specific configurations of a paper machine, theproduction capacity increase with magnetic field treatment of the whitewater in the Forming Section and the paper sheet in the subsequentprocessing sections is expected to be approximately 5-30%.

The flow rates of different drying operations span a wide range, frompaper making at the high end to pharmaceuticals at the low end. Theliquid phase may include but is not limited to water, alcohols and manydifferent polar and non-polar solvents. The final product may includesheets of paper, boards, pulps, plastics, automotive coatings, etc.,amorphous particles or powder; grains, corn, diced vegetables; strings,e.g. noodles; etc. All of these require drying in their manufacture.

Furthermore, in accordance with the method disclosed herein, multipletransducers with a combination of frequency, phase, amplitude andseparation distance may be placed so as to achieve changes of a propertyof a polar liquid without the addition of chemicals.

The polar liquid may form a river, lake, pond, lagoon, or other body ofwater. Applying the alternating electrical current to the transducer mayresult in an increase in dissolved oxygen or other dissolved gasseswithin the polar liquid. Diatoms may be added to the polar liquid beforeor concurrently with energizing the transducer, so as to lessencyanobacteria, algal blooms, ammonia, phosphates or total nitrogen inthe polar liquid over time.

A polar liquid treated by the transducer(s) may be used for aquaculture,in particular, for growing aquatic animals, such as fish or shrimp.Optionally, diatoms, oxygen, and/or air may be added to the polarliquid. We believe that the method disclosed herein is beneficial infish and/or shrimp farming. Typically shrimp farming is done in largeponds and these ponds often need to be dredged after a period of timedue to fish/shrimp waste settling on the bottom of these ponds.

An aspect of this disclosure relates to fish and shrimp farming. Thebiochemical process of digesting fish wastes in-situ is not thatdifferent from that for human sewage. Nevertheless, fish waste is oftencharacterized by the ingredients in the fish feed. Any undesirablecontaminants in the fish feed, e.g. heavy metals, inorganic chemicals,will show up in the fish wastes. Obtaining information related to theinorganic chemicals, including heavy metals, chlorides and sulfates, inthe fish feed and the fish wastes to ensure that the in-situ wastedigestion process would not become a pathway for the accumulation ofinorganic chemicals, especially heavy metals, in the water in the fishpond can be useful.

The assertion that fish would feed on fish waste is scientificallydubious, especially if fish feed pellets are available. The observationmay be a confusion with the fish trying to retrieve fish feed pelletsburied under the accumulated fish wastes. Consequently, the growth ofthe fish will be inhibited if a large portion of the fish feed,especially those in pellet form, is buried under a thickening blanket offish waste.

Ammonia, if allowed to accumulate from the continuing discharge of thefish wastes, at higher concentration will reduce the health resilienceof the fish population. Using our transducer with a signal of theappropriate frequency and amplitude may help to increase the dissolvedoxygen (DO) in the water not only for the fish or shrimp but also forthe aerobic bacteria that will digest the fish or shrimp wastes. Theelevated oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and the growing presence ofthe aerobic nitrification bacteria, will drive the chemical equilibriumin the water from ammonia to nitrates which will encourage the growth ofphytoplanktons and zooplanktons, both of which are desirable food forthe fish population. The declining ratio of fish feed to fish growthweight may be an additional benefit in the deployment of the transducersin fish ponds. The most productive water in the fish pond is not waterwith high clarity. A slightly brown or greenish water populated withphytoplanktons and zooplanktons is more healthy and beneficial for thegrowth of fish and shrimps.

We believe that that fish will grow faster in the presence of ourenergized transducer. However, the pH and the concentrations ofinorganic chemicals in the water may be monitored regularly to avoid anelevated concentration of dissolved solids, e.g. sulfates and chlorides,originated from the fish feed. If the “total dissolved solids” in thewater is observed to continue to rise during the in-situ digestion ofthe fish wastes in the presence of the energized transducer, a programof regularly bleeding a small portion of the water and replacing it withfresh sterilized water would need to be instituted to maintain a healthygrowth environment for the fish population. The amount of water bleedwill be determined by the rate of chemicals accumulation in the water.Preferably, the water being replenished would be sterilized usingultraviolet or hydrogen peroxide. Chlorinated chemicals for watersterilization should be avoided to minimize the introduction ofchlorinated organics into the water.

An alternative to bleeding the pond water regularly, especially if heavymetal contamination is an on-going concern, selected aquatic plantscould be planted along the shoreline of the fish pond to remove theheavy metal and accumulated inorganic chemicals through the absorptionby and growth of the aquatic plants. These aquatic “forest” wouldprovide a spawning ground for some species of fish.

If the fish species being raised require a continuing supply of livefeed fish, the quality of the supply chain should be rigorouslymonitored to avoid the inadvertent introduction of disease and chemicalsfrom a contaminated feed fish stock.

The benefit of using our transducer is multifold. There is an increasein oxygenation of the water due to the gas mass transfer rate across theair water barrier which assists in fish/shrimp growth, and there is lessrequirement for draining and cleaning these fish/shrimp ponds.

In one embodiment, the ALPIM devices are used for treating a body ofwater of sewage, wherein the polar liquid has added diatoms. Results oftreatment may include reduction of undesired pathogens, enhanced aerobicmicrobe population, digestion of suspended solids and sludge,displacement of anaerobic microbes and the attendant foul odors, etc.The body of water may be a lake, a river, an industrial lagoon, or anocean. Oxygen or air may be added to the polar liquid before orconcurrently with energizing the transducer. The oxygen or air isprovided in the form of bubbles or by mechanical agitation of the polarliquid. Alternatively or complementary to the addition of oxygen or air,diatoms may be added to the polar liquid. Our treatment enhances theability of the water to absorb gasses in bubbles. The method couldinclude the use of the transducer described herein and a bubbler oraerator to enhance oxygen absorption. Also, by treating the water withthe transducer, gasses which naturally bubble up from the bottom may bemore readily absorbed into the water.

In one embodiment, the ALPIM device is used for pretreatment of a polarliquid before drip irrigation, desalination, or aquaculture. The dripirrigation may be assisted by the method disclosed herein, and include telimination of clogging by pretreatment of the water through variousmechanisms; settlement of debris, digestion of debris, maturing thebiological matter (wet composting) so that they do not grow in the dripirrigation system. Additionally, pathogens may be eliminated by aerobicprocessing of the water, and the agronomic value of the liquid mayincrease by changing the nutrients within the liquid and making themmore readily available.

The transducer described heretofore, energized with an alternatingcurrent of a preferred frequency and amplitude, can change the propertyof a body of water, such that the water after treatment has commercialadvantages, at a fraction of the cost and energy, over most othersystems that attempt to clean or filter a same body of water. In oursystem, the water itself is not simply filtered removing unwanted matterthere within. In contrast, our transducer in operation may convertharmful bacteria and harmful algae into “liquid compost”, leavingmicronutrients in the water. After treating the body of water, it can bepumped or allowed to flow through a manifold conduits to irrigationsystems, most importantly drip irrigation systems. This may lessen oreliminate clogging by pretreatment of the water through variousmechanisms with our device and allow settlement of debris, digestion ofdebris, maturing the biological matter (wet composting) so that heavyparticle composted matter does not flow into the drip irrigation system.Due to the aerobic enhancement that may occur using our transducer,pathogens are suppressed via aerobic processing that occurs.

By using our transducer, the higher gas exchange rate will ensure a highlevel of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water. The high DO will suppressthe growth of pathogens, most of which are anaerobic species, e.g.E-coli, Salmonella, etc., in the water. We believe that the alternatingmagnetic field provided by the method disclosed therein has an effect ofreducing a concentration of phosphates, farm fertilizer run-offs,suspended solids, facultative bacteria, coliform, algae, zooplanktons,pests, Daphnia, or mosquito larvae.

The high DO and the high oxidation reduction potential (ORP) willencourage the chelation of metals in solution, including iron andphosphates, and render them less available for the growth of bacteria,phytoplanktons and zooplanktons in the water in the irrigation tubes. Webelieve that the lower water surface tension, if effected, will make itmore difficult for particles, living or otherwise, to attach to theinner surface of the irrigation tubes, and the lower water viscosity, ifeffected, will accelerate the settling of suspended particles, living orotherwise, in the bulk water in the reservoir, resulting in a lowerconcentration of suspended solids in the water being distributed throughthe irrigation tubes. The higher DO in the water distributed through theirrigation tubes will help to invigorate the microbial communities inthe soil. These conditions will stimulate the nitrification process andthe wet composting of organic matters in the soil. More healthy growthof plant root systems will result.

Another advantage of using our transducer as a pretreatment of waterbefore allowing that water to flow through a drip irrigation system isnot just that clogging of the drip irrigators is lessened or avoided,but another advantage is realized in the availability of processedliquid composting by harvesting the settled rich compost at the bottomof a lake, lagoon or containment vessel.

In other words, drip irrigation systems, desalination systems, oraquaculture systems may use polar liquid pre-treated using the followingmethod. A transducer comprising an electrically conductive solenoidalcoil is disposed at least partially within the polar liquid, wherein thecoil is formed of a plurality of loops each having an interior, the loopinteriors forming an interior of the coil, and wherein the polar liquidis substantially prevented from penetrating the interior of the coil. Analternating electrical current is applied to the coil so as to producean alternating magnetic field about the coil, wherein a portion of thealternating magnetic field penetrates the polar liquid and thealternating electrical current has a frequency and a amplitude such thatthe alternating magnetic field has an effect on the polar liquid whichchanges a property of the polar liquid at a distance of at least 5meters from the transducer. The property may be gas exchange rate,surface tension, viscosity, freezing point, or partial vapor pressure.The treated liquid is then provided, or allowed to flow, though pipes orconduits into a drip irrigation system, or a desalination system, or anaquaculture system. The pretreatment may be performed to a liquid whichforms part of a river, an ocean, a lake, a pond, or an industriallagoon. The liquid may be water, or sewage, etc.

Advantageously, the method disclosed herein may be practiced in openbodies of water, or sewage, or other liquids, including lakes, lagoons,rivers, channels, ponds and oceans. Industrial applications includecolumns, tanks, industrial ponds and pipelines.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of changing a property of a polarliquid, comprising: disposing a first transducer comprising a firstelectrically conductive solenoidal coil at least partially within thepolar liquid, the coil formed of a plurality of loops each having aninterior, the loop interiors forming an interior of the coil, whereinthe polar liquid is substantially prevented from penetrating theinterior of the coil, and applying a first alternating electricalcurrent to the coil so as to produce an alternating magnetic field aboutthe coil, wherein a portion of the alternating magnetic field penetratesthe polar liquid and the first alternating electrical current has afirst frequency and a first amplitude such that the alternating magneticfield has an effect on the polar liquid providing a change in a propertyof the polar liquid at a distance of at least 5 meters from the firsttransducer, wherein the property is gas exchange rate and the change isat least 5%, or the property is surface tension and the change is atleast 1%, or the property is viscosity and the change is at least 0.5%,or the property is freezing point and the change is at least 0.5 degreeC., or the property is partial vapor pressure and the change is at least1%.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the property of the polarliquid is changed at a distance of at least 40 meters from the firsttransducer.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one ofthe gas exchange rate, or surface tension, or viscosity, or freezingpoint, or partial vapor pressure, changes at the distance of 5 meterswithin 10 minutes.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the firsttransducer produces an electric field that penetrates the polar liquidthereof of less than 1 V/m.
 5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein aroot mean square of the first amplitude is less than 3 amperes.
 6. Amethod as defined in claim 5, wherein a root mean square of the firstamplitude is less than 500 mA.
 7. A method as defined in claim 6,wherein a root mean square of the first amplitude is less than 50 mA. 8.A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the first alternating electricalcurrent is a sinusoidal current.
 9. A method as defined in claim 6,wherein the first frequency is 5 kHz or less.
 10. A method as defined inclaim 1, wherein the first transducer comprises two ferromagnetic endpieces disposed at the ends of the coil and transverse thereto forshaping the magnetic field.
 11. A method as defined in claim 10, whereinthe first transducer comprises a ferromagnetic core within the interiorof the coil for increasing the change in the polar liquid.
 12. A methodas defined in claim 10, wherein the end pieces are electrically coupledto the ferromagnetic core or integral therewith.
 13. A method as definedin claim 10, wherein each of the end pieces has a diameter of at leasthalf of a height of the coil.
 14. A method as defined in claim 1,wherein the end pieces are planar and normal to the coil.
 15. A methodas defined in claim 10, wherein the end pieces are round pieces centeredat the coil.
 16. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a feedback loopis provided to control the first alternating electrical current independence upon a measured parameter.
 17. A method as defined in claim16, comprising selection of the first frequency from a plurality ofpredefined frequencies.
 18. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein thefirst alternating electrical current has an amplitude with a root meansquare (rms) of 100±15 microAmperes and a frequency of 2500±10 Hz, or anamplitude with an rms of 99±15 microAmperes and a frequency of 2700±10Hz, or an amplitude with an rms of 140±15 microAmperes and a frequencyof 4000±10 Hz.
 19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein across-section of the solenoidal coil is a circle.
 20. A method asdefined in claim 1, comprising using a first at least partiallyimmersive device comprising a first signal generator and the firsttransducer, electrically coupled to each other and electrically isolatedfrom the polar liquid when immersed thereto, and a second at leastpartially immersive device comprising a second transducer and a secondsignal generator for providing a second alternating electrical currentto the second transducer.
 21. A method as defined in claim 20, whereinthe first and second at least partially immersive devices are controlledwith a control center.
 22. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein afrequency of the second electrical current is equal to the firstfrequency and wherein the first and second alternating electricalcurrents are in phase, having a zero degree phase relationship forincreasing the change in the polar liquid.
 23. A method as defined inclaim 20, wherein a frequency of the second alternating electricalcurrent is different from the first frequency, for changing the propertyof the polar liquid oppositely, with respect to a baseline of theproperty when the liquid has not been treated by a magnetic field, tothe change caused by the first transducer alone.
 24. A method as definedin claim 23, wherein the frequency of the second alternating electricalcurrent is different from the first frequency by at least 1 Hz, forchanging the property of the polar liquid oppositely, with respect to abaseline of the property when the liquid has not been treated by amagnetic field, to the change caused by the first transducer alone. 25.A method as defined in claim 24, comprising a gradual change in adifference between the first frequency and the frequency of the secondalternating electrical current for controlling the effect on the polarliquid.
 26. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the firstalternating electrical current and the second alternating electricalcurrent are offset in phase for controlling the effect on the polarliquid.
 27. A method as defined in claim 26, comprising a gradual changeof an offset in phase between the first and second alternatingelectrical currents for controlling the effect.
 28. A method as definedin claim 10, wherein the polar liquid is used for aquaculture.
 29. Amethod as defined in claim 10, comprising providing oxygen or air to thepolar liquid.
 30. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the method isused as pretreatment before drip irrigation, desalination, oraquaculture.